Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.

PM Dahal invited to attend UN program

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to attend the ‘Summit of the Future’. The summit is scheduled to be organized in September. Hanaa Singer, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nepal, presented the invitation letter to PM Dahal today. In response, PM Dahal expressed his anticipation to attend the summit.

Ward Chairman found guilty of taking Rs 15,000 bribe, imprisoned for a month

Ujer Ali, the Ward Chairman of Maharajgunj Municipality-2 in Kapilvastu, has been convicted in a corruption case. A joint bench of judges Ram Bahadur Thapa, Kushi Prasad Tharu, and Murari Babu Shrestha of the Special Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, finding Chairman Ali guilty of corruption. Ali was arrested on Chaitra 18, 2080 BS, with a bribe of Rs 15,000. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed the case against him at the Special Court. As per the CIAA’s request, the court has fined Ali Rs 15,000 and sentenced him to one month in prison.

Government recalls ambassadors of 11 countries including India and USA

The government has decided to recall ambassadors from 11 countries, including India, the United States of America (USA), and the UK. A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday afternoon made the decision to recall ambassadors appointed by the previous government led by the coalition that included the Nepali Congress. According to Rekha Sharma, the Minister for Communication and Information Technology and government spokesperson, ambassadors from India, the USA, the UK, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, and Israel have been recalled.

Cabinet approves PM Dahal’s visit to India

The Cabinet meeting held on Thursday afternoon approved Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s official visit to India. PM Dahal is scheduled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third term in office on Sunday. “The Cabinet meeting has approved PM Dahal’s two-day visit to India,” said Minister for Communication and Information Technology and government spokesperson, Rekha Sharma.

Flights halted after rift emerges on runway at TIA

Both domestic and international flights have been suspended due to the emergence of a rift on the runway at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Jagannath Niraula, the Director-General at TIA, confirmed the halt in flights. The suspension has lasted for more than an hour as efforts are underway to restore operations on the runway.

Satish Singh to be appointed as CM of Madhesh Province

The Janamat Party has selected its lawmaker Satish Kumar Singh to be appointed as the Chief Minister (CM) of Madhesh Province. Singh has been chosen instead of parliamentary party leader Mahesh Kumar Yadav. While it’s customary to elect the parliamentary party leader for the CM or leadership position, the party has decided to elect Singh as the CM of the province. Following an agreement reached at the central level among members of the ruling alliance, Singh is now expected to be sworn in as the CM on Friday. Preparations are underway for Singh’s swearing-in ceremony as the CM of Madhesh Province, according to Sharad Singh Yadav, the party’s spokesperson.

Number of patients with skin allergies increases in Banke amid rising temperatures

With soaring temperatures in Banke, a district in Lumbini Province, the number of patients with skin allergies has increased. Doctors report that people are visiting health facilities with complaints of itching, scabies, rashes, and skin infections. According to Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj, it has been dealing with an increased number of skin-related cases amidst the rising temperatures. The hospital’s dermatologist, Dr. Badri Chapagain, stated that 60-70 people visit the hospital daily with skin-related issues such as rashes, scabies, and itching. He advised everyone to maintain personal hygiene and avoid sun exposure as preventive measures. Additionally, he urged people to use medications only under medical prescription and not haphazardly.

Mayor Neupane challenges High Court’s order to recount votes in Byas Municipality

Baikuntha Neupane, the mayor of Byas Municipality, has challenged the Pokhara High Court’s order to recount votes in Byas Municipality. Mayor Neupane has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court seeking an interim order. The hearing is scheduled for June 9. The High Court’s order followed a final hearing on a petition filed by Deepak Raj Joshi, a candidate for the position of mayor of Byas Municipality. The court ruled in favor of the petitioner, deeming his claim substantial.

NTA revokes Chaudhury’s CG Telecom license

The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has taken action against Binod Chaudhary’s CG Communications Limited, revoking its license. The move follows the cancellation of STS Telecom Sanchar Pvt. Ltd.’s license number RTS EDR 01 due to the failure to submit a renewal application within the stipulated timeframe. Chaudhury’s company, CG, had previously applied for the renewal of its rural telecommunication service license, initially obtained on November 21, 2003. However, the NTA has revealed that the license was automatically canceled on November 16 after the application, along with the renewal fee, was not submitted within the specified period as per Rule 12 of the Telecommunications Regulations 2054. The notification regarding this action has been issued to Chaudhary’s CG Communications Limited in Sanepa through a public notice. Chaudhary had earlier indicated intentions to maintain the service post-license expiry, but failed to meet the regulatory requirements.

Migrants, including Nepalis, face uncertainty as Portugal implements stricter immigration rules

Portugal’s recent immigration policy changes have shut down avenues to legal residency for a considerable number of foreigners, among them numerous Nepalis, who entered the country through both regular and irregular means. Critics argue that this shift will exacerbate the challenges faced by migrants. In 2022, Nepal ranked second among South Asian nations, with 23,441 Nepali citizens obtaining regular migrant status, marking a nine percent increase from the previous year. For years, Portugal has been renowned as one of the European Union’s most immigrant-friendly countries, allowing migrants—whether they entered legally or not—to attain legal residency through avenues such as employment, entrepreneurship, or freelancing. Lisbon’s policy even permitted individuals with valid visas to work across Europe, extending regularization possibilities to those entering without valid visas since 2018. However, this longstanding practice has been abruptly halted by the new government. On June 3, Portugal’s cabinet proposed a decree aimed at tightening immigration policies, swiftly approved by the president and published in the official gazette. The government unveiled 42 new measures to regulate migration flows, including the revocation of Articles 81, 88, and 89 of Immigration Law 59/2017. These articles, which previously facilitated legalization for immigrants working and contributing to social security for at least a year, are now nullified, rendering the legalization process via these channels obsolete.

NC slams Home Minister’s inaction on Giribandhu Tea Estate

Nepali Congress (NC), the main opposition party, has criticized Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane for his silence regarding the Giribandhu Tea Estate issue in Birtamod, Jhapa. Speaking during Thursday’s Parliament meeting, Bishwa Prakash Sharma, the party’s General Secretary and a member of the House of Representatives, questioned whether Lamichhane would address the Giribandhu issue. Sharma cited the Supreme Court’s revelation of political corruption in Giribandhu and emphasized that Lamichhane, also the Deputy Prime Minister, remained unable to address the matter. He further questioned if Lamichhane was prepared to investigate the Nepali Congress’s alleged involvement in the misappropriation of 70 bigahas of commission regarding Giribandhu. “He can’t open the file, he can’t even speak,” Sharma asserted. Sharma criticized Lamichhane’s failure to confront former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli over his remarks about Education Minister Sumana Shrestha. “If he had the capability to speak out, he should have firmly demanded that the former prime minister retract his statements regarding the education minister.

Gold price up by Rs 1,800 per tola today

The price of gold increased by Rs 1,800 per tola in the domestic market today. The price of gold has been fixed at Rs 144,000 per tola, marking an increase of Rs 1,800 per tola compared to the previous trading day. On Wednesday, the yellow metal was traded at Rs 142,200 per tola. Today, the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association has set the price of standard gold at Rs 143,300 per tola.